Locker manager for managing access to shared resources

ABSTRACT

A method and system for controlling access to computer resources by multiple software components is described. A locker manager is provided, which is adapted to manage access to shared computer resources by independent software components. If a particular hardware resource is not currently being used and is available, the locker manager grants a particular software component access to the particular computer resource and locks access thereto, wherein none of the other software components can access the particular computer resource until the particular software component has finished accessing the particular computer resource.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to management (e.g., synchronization) of different software entities, and particularly to management (e.g., synchronization) of independent software components running on the same or different processors, without any need to directly exchange any information between them or to share the software.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) is a technique for efficient movement of data over high-speed transports. RDMA enables a computer to directly place information in another computer's memory with minimal demands on memory bus bandwidth and CPU processing overhead, while preserving memory protection semantics. RNIC is an RDMA-enabled NIC (Network Interface Controller). The RNIC may provide support for RDMA over TCP (transport control protocol). RDMA RNIC is also referred to as intelligent RNIC.

In addition to providing RDMA capabilities, the intelligent RNIC is expected to support multiple semantics. For example, it may operate as a regular Ethernet NIC providing a widely-used partial offload of a hardware checksum generation and validation. It may operate as an intelligent NIC providing full TCP termination. It may interface to enable software implementation of socket semantics. It may serve as an iSCSI (Internet Small Computer System Interface) target or initiator adapter, providing partial iSCSI acceleration.

Each one of the semantics capabilities may require a different software environment and different drivers to implement it. The drivers are not necessarily coupled or capable of communicating one with another due to various reasons. For example, the software/drivers may be implemented by different vendors, or the software/drivers may run in a virtualized environment, while others may run on host or embedded CPUs, etc.

An operating system (OS) generally provides services like semaphores, mutexes, spin-locks, etc., for synchronizing different software components. The synchronization schemes may depend on the operating system, and may require different software components to be aware of each other. Alternatively, a single software component may be used that provides such synchronization facilities and exclusive access to the shared hardware.

Such standard synchronization schemes may work well in an application with a single software component, e.g., a standard NIC driver. However, such schemes do not work effectively with multiple software interfaces, such as in intelligent RNIC.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to provide an improved system and method for management (e.g., synchronization) of independent software components running on the same or different processors, without any need to directly exchange any information between them or to share the software, as is described more in detail herein below.

In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention a locker manager is provided, which is adapted to manage access to shared computer resources by independent software components. If a particular hardware resource is not currently being used and is available, the locker manager grants a particular software component access to the particular computer resource and locks access thereto, wherein none of the other software components can access the particular computer resource until the particular software component has finished accessing the particular computer resource. Any other software component may read the locker manager to check whether the resource is used. If the other software component detects that the resource is locked for use, it does not attempt to access that resource.

In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the locker manager includes a lock number register for allocating lock numbers to the software components, and a locker register that includes a locker value register for storing lock numbers and a locker status register for storing an indication whether the locker register is locked or unlocked.

In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, there is also provided a computer program product for controlling access to computer resources by multiple software components, wherein the computer program product includes instructions for operating a locker manager which is adapted to manage access to shared computer resources by independent software components, wherein in the instructions, if a particular hardware resource is not currently being used and is available, the locker manager grants a particular software component access to the particular computer resource and locks access thereto, wherein none of the other software components can access the particular computer resource until the particular software component has finished accessing the particular computer resource.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of managing access to computer resources in a system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a simplified flow chart of managing access to the computer resources, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 3A-3C are simplified block diagram illustrations of certain steps of the method shown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which illustrates managing access to computer resources 10 in a system 12, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

The system 12, for which the present invention has application, may include many types of systems in various fields, such as but not limited to, distributed systems, intelligent NICs with multi-protocol interfaces, and many others. For example, system 12 may use RDMA protocol, such as but not limited to, intelligent RNIC, also referred to as RDMA NIC.

The present invention may synchronize access to shared resources 10 by independent software components 14 (e.g., drivers). The computer resources 10 may include, without limitation, various hardware resources (e.g., servers, computer peripherals, etc.), or even software resources (e.g., application programs and the like) or any combination thereof. The synchronization of the access to the resources 10 may be done simultaneously for the software components 14.

In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, a locker manager 16 is provided that manages and synchronizes access to the shared resources 10 by independent software components 14. The locker manager 16 may be embodied as hardware or software or a combination thereof.

Briefly, the locker manager 16 operates by granting access to only one of the software components 14, thereby effectively locking out the other software components 14. When one of the software components 14 wishes to obtain exclusive access to one of the hardware resources 10, that particular software component 14 checks if the locker manager 16 has “unlocked” access to that particular computer resource 10, meaning that that particular computer resource 10 is not currently being used and is available. If so, the locker manager 16 grants that particular software component 14 access to that particular computer resource 10, and “locks” access thereto, meaning that if the other software components 14 were to attempt gaining access to that particular computer resource 10, the locker manager 16 would indicate that the particular computer resource 10 is in use and currently inaccessible. When that particular software component 14 has finished accessing that particular computer resource 10, it indicates this to the locker manager and access thereto is unlocked, meaning that another software component 14 can now gain access thereto.

The locker manager 16 may include a lock number register 18 for allocating lock numbers to the software components 14, as is explained hereinbelow. The locker manager 16 may also include a locker register 20, which may comprise two sub-registers, one called locker value register 22 and the other called locker status register 24. The locker value register 22 has a bit or bits that store a lock number (called ‘LockerValue’) and the locker status register 24 has a bit or bits that indicate the locked or unlocked status of the locker register 20 (called ‘LockerState’). The locker register 20 may be used to manage access to the desired computer resource 10, as is now explained.

Reference is now made to FIG. 2, which illustrates a flow chart of a method managing access to computer resources 10, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, and to FIGS. 3A-3C, which illustrate in simplified block diagram form, certain steps of the method.

The software component 14 may obtain a lock number by reading the lock number register 18 (step 101, FIG. 2, and also shown in FIG. 3A). The lock number may be used by the software component 14 as an identification number. Each read operation from the lock number register 18 may return a sequentially increasing number. For example, the initial value of the lock number register 18 may be ‘0’, wherein subsequent read operations would obtain ‘1’, ‘2’, etc. The invention is not limited to these values, however.

In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, each software component 14 may obtain a unique lock number, meaning that the lock number register 18 is read only once to obtain the lock number (step 101A). The unique lock number can be used to perform lock operations any number of times. (“Lock operation” encompasses attempting to gain access to a desired computer resource 10 and unlocking or locking access to that desired computer resource 10, as is explained below.) Alternatively, the invention also encompasses the possibility of making the software component 14 obtain a new lock number each time the software component 14 wishes to perform a lock operation (step 101B). As another alternative, the invention also encompasses the possibility of reusing lock numbers after reaching a predefined value (step 101C). For example, after using the values ‘0’, ‘1’, ‘2’ . . . ‘ffff’, the numbers would start again, that is, subsequent read operations would obtain ‘0’, ‘1’, ‘2’ . . . ‘ffff’, ‘0’, ‘1’, ‘2’ . . . ‘ffff’, . . . etc. The predefined value could be set to a high value that would avoid a possible ambiguity of two different software components using the same lock number.

The locker value register 22 may be initialized to ‘0’, and the locker status register 24 may be initialized to ‘unlocked’ (step 102).

If a particular software component 14 wishes to obtain access to the desired computer resource 10, it writes its assigned lock number value (e.g., ‘Value(i)’) to locker value register 22 (step 103). The locker logic may check if LockerState=‘Unlocked’ (step 104).

The particular software component 14 may read from the locker value register 22. If the read value equals the value written by this particular software component 14, then exclusive access has been granted for this particular software component 14, and it can access the shared resource 10 (step 105, and also shown in FIG. 3B). In other words, the locker logic may behave as follows:

If LockerState=‘Unlocked’, then LockerValue=currently written value=‘AccessValue’ (in this example, ‘Value(i)’) and LockerState=‘Locked’.

Other software components 14 may wish to obtain access to the desired computer resource 10 (step 106). If so, that software component 14 may write its assigned lock number value (e.g., ‘Value(j)’, wherein j {grave over ()} i) to locker value register 22 (step 103). However, as long as the locker state register 24 is locked, the currently written locker value will be checked against the stored LockerValue. The software component (with lock number Value(j)) would read a lock number from the locker value register 22 which is different from the written one. This would indicate that software component (with lock number Value(j)) cannot access the computer resource 10 because it is currently locked to another software component (step 107). The locker logic may behave as follows:

If LockerState=‘Locked’ and LockerValue {grave over ()} ‘AccessValue’, then LockerState=‘Locked’ (i.e., remains locked) and LockerValue=‘AccessValue’ (remains the same)—as in step 105.

Once the software component 14 that currently has exclusive access to the desired computer resource 10 has finished its communication with the desired computer resource 10 (step 108), it may once again write its assigned lock number value (‘Value(i)’) to locker value register 22 (step 103). The locker logic may behave as follows:

If LockerState=‘Locked’ and LockerValue=‘Value(i)’, then LockerState=‘Unlocked’ (step 109, and also shown in FIG. 3C).

The management of the locker register 20 may continue as before. That is, after the locker register 20 has been unlocked, the next time another software component 14 wishes to obtain access to the desired computer resource 10 (step 106), it will write its assigned lock number value (‘Value(k)’, wherein k {grave over ()} i) to the locker value register 22 (as in step 103), and the locker logic may behave as follows:

If LockerState=‘Unlocked’, then LockerValue=currently written value=‘AccessValue’ (in this example, ‘Value(k)’) and LockerState=‘Locked’ (as in step 105, wherein the software component reads the locker value register 22).

It is noted that a read operation from the locker value register 22 of the locked locker register 20 returns the lock number of the locking component, whereas a read operation from the locker value register 22 of the unlocked locker register 20 returns the lock number of the last component that used the locker register 20.

The steps described above may be repeated any number of times by any number of software components 14. Only after the software component 14 that had been granted exclusive access to the desired computer resource 10 has finished its communication with the desired computer resource 10, access is granted to another software component 14.

It is noted that the methods shown in FIGS. 2 and 3A-3C and described hereinabove may be carried out by a computer program product 39 (FIG. 1), such as but not limited to, Network Interface Card, hard disk, optical disk, memory device and the like, which may include instructions for carrying out the methods described hereinabove.

The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, and is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention, the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. 

1. A method for controlling access to computer resources by multiple software components, the method comprising: providing a locker manager adapted to manage access to shared computer resources by independent software components, wherein if a particular hardware resource is not currently being used and is available, said locker manager grants a particular software component access to said particular computer resource and locks access thereto, wherein none of the other software components can access said particular computer resource until said particular software component has finished accessing said particular computer resource.
 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising any of the other software components reading a register in said locker manager in order to determine if access is available to said particular computer resource.
 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said locker manager comprises a lock number register for allocating lock numbers to the software components, and a locker register that comprises a locker value register for storing lock numbers and a locker status register for storing an indication whether said locker register is locked or unlocked, wherein the method further comprises providing each of the software components with a lock number, wherein if said particular software component wishes to obtain access to said particular computer resource, said particular software component writes its allocated lock number to said locker value register and if the locker register is unlocked, then said locker manager grants said particular software component access to said particular computer resource and indicates that said locker register is locked.
 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein if another of the software components writes its allocated lock number to said locker value register and said locker register is locked, then said lock register remains locked and said locker value register is unchanged.
 5. The method according to claim 3, wherein if said particular software component has finished communication with said particular computer resource, said particular software component writes its allocated lock number to said locker value register and said lock manager unlocks access to said particular computer resource and indicates that said locker register is unlocked.
 6. The method according to claim 3, wherein each of the software components is provided with a unique lock number.
 7. The method according to claim 3, wherein each of the software components is provided with a new lock number each time the software component wishes to perform a lock operation.
 8. The method according to claim 3, further comprising reusing lock numbers for allocation to the software components after reaching a predefined value.
 9. A computer program product for controlling access to computer resources by multiple software components, the computer program product comprising: instructions for operating a locker manager which is adapted to manage access to shared computer resources by independent software components, wherein in said instructions, if a particular hardware resource is not currently being used and is available, said locker manager grants a particular software component access to said particular computer resource and locks access thereto, wherein none of the other software components can access said particular computer resource until said particular software component has finished accessing said particular computer resource.
 10. The computer program product according to claim 9, further comprising instructions for any of the other software components to read a register in said locker manager in order to determine if access is available to said particular computer resource.
 11. The computer program product according to claim 9, wherein said locker manager comprises a lock number register for allocating lock numbers to the software components, and a locker register that comprises a locker value register for storing lock numbers and a locker status register for storing an indication whether said locker register is locked or unlocked, wherein the computer program product further comprises instructions for providing each of the software components with a lock number, wherein if said particular software component wishes to obtain access to said particular computer resource, said particular software component writes its allocated lock number to said locker value register and if the locker register is unlocked, then said locker manager grants said particular software component access to said particular computer resource and indicates that said locker register is locked.
 12. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein in said instructions, if another of the software components writes its allocated lock number to said locker value register and said locker register is locked, then said lock register remains locked and said locker value register is unchanged.
 13. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein in said instructions, if said particular software component has finished communication with said particular computer resource, said particular software component writes its allocated lock number to said locker value register and said lock manager unlocks access to said particular computer resource and indicates that said locker register is unlocked.
 14. A system for controlling access to computer resources by multiple software components, the system comprising: a locker manager adapted to manage access to shared computer resources by independent software components, said locker manager comprising a lock number register for allocating lock numbers to the software components, and a locker register that comprises a locker value register for storing lock numbers and a locker status register for storing an indication whether said locker register is locked or unlocked.
 15. The system according to claim 14, wherein if a particular hardware resource is not currently being used and is available, said locker manager grants a particular software component access to said particular computer resource and locks access thereto, wherein none of the other software components can access said particular computer resource until said particular software component has finished accessing said particular computer resource.
 16. The system according to claim 15, wherein any of the other software components reads a register in said locker manager in order to determine if access is available to said particular computer resource.
 17. The system according to claim 15, wherein said locker manager provides each of the software components with a lock number, wherein if said particular software component wishes to obtain access to said particular computer resource, said particular software component writes its allocated lock number to said locker value register and if the locker register is unlocked, then said locker manager grants said particular software component access to said particular computer resource and indicates that said locker register is locked.
 18. The system according to claim 15, wherein if another of the software components writes its assigned lock number to said locker value register and said locker register is locked, then said lock register remains locked and said locker value register is unchanged.
 19. The system according to claim 15, wherein if said particular software component has finished communication with said particular computer resource, said particular software component writes its allocated lock number to said locker value register and said lock manager unlocks access to said particular computer resource and indicates that said locker register is unlocked.
 20. The system according to claim 14, wherein said system comprises a Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) enabled NIC (Network Interface Controller). 